LAKEPORT — The Clear Lake High School football program is no stranger to success, but not even head coach Glen “Milo” Meyer could have predicted an undefeated regular season for his Cardinals in 2007.
And yet that”s exactly what Meyer got to the tune of 9-0-1.
Meyer, who took over the Cardinals” varsity football program in 1997, is the Record-Bee”s Coach of the Year for boys” sports following the 2007-08 sports season.
Meyer has won league titles and a North Coast Section Class A championship at Clear Lake, but 2007 was the first time his Cardinals ran the table in the regular season. Only a 6-6 tie with Fort Bragg in week five prevented Clear Lake from posting a perfect 10-0 mark. The Cardinals did eventually lose, dropping a 28-20 decision to King”s Academy in the opening round of the playoffs.
Meyer and defensive coordinator Mike Hansen helped forge a stellar defensive unit that allowed just 51 points during the regular season, or less than a touchdown a game at 5.1.
“We had big kids who loved the weight room,” Meyer said. “Defensively we had some animals out there.”
Linebacker Colin Coddington and defensive lineman Derek Milhaupt were two of the “animals” that made the Clear Lake defense go, according to Meyer.
“By getting Milhaupt to cover the middle we were able to play an odd-front defense and that allowed our linebackers to really move around and make plays,” Meyer said.
While the 2007 squad wasn”t the best the school has ever produced, it definitely is up there, according to Meyer.
“It ranks right there with some of our best,” he said.
Clear Lake”s option offense also did its part and seemed to improve as the season progressed.
“Once Holder figured it out, everything fell into place,” Meyer said of quarterback Jameson Holder, who along with Coddington earned MVP recognition on the All-North Central League I South football team.
“We were just blessed with a lot of good athletes,” Meyer said.
